Happy Anniversary, Lover
by Steal My Soul 7767
Summary: It's a couple's fifteenth anniversary...Can love span the distance between the two? KaiTal others. Bittersweet but hopefully a happy ending. There is no such thing as being alone when your lover is a phoenix...nothing can stop them from being with you...


Hey! Here's a bitter-sweet fic about my favorite pair of bladers. It's not very long...but it made me a bit sad and happy all at once while I was writing it...Try not to hate me...Tragedy/Humor/Romance I'm not sure what else...maybe slightly Supernatural...

Disclaimer...I don't own Beyblade. Thought I did but the lawyers proved me wrong...

* * *

Happy Anniversary, Lover

He lit the fifteen candles and filled the night air with the scents of lilac and almond. He grinned lightly and kneeled down, brushing away snow that obscured his vision. He sat and waited but decided to go ahead and speak.

"Can't believe we made it so long, can you? I had my doubts that this would last to tell you the truth. When you first proposed this, I thought you were out of your mind." He swatted the red hair out of is face as he leaned over to look at the ground. Silence answered but that was expected. Typical…

"I can't believe that you had the guts to do that right in front of everyone. You friggin scared me to death. But then…what else could I expect?" He laughed lightly. He recounted the memory with the embarrassed grin he had worn when it had happened.

* * *

(Flashback)

He ripped his hand away and massaged life back into his numbing wrist. Idiot…He growled as he noticed the reporters that were already on the edges of their seats. Media hounds…just great.

"The participants of the BBA World Championships are now open for questioning." Mr. Dickenson said with a smile as the bladers took their seats in front of microphones all along a long white table. And Tala tried to drown out them the replies until the questions were being thrown at him.

"Mr. Ivanov! Mr. Ivanov! Is it true that you're dating Mariah?! Are the rumors that you're having an affair with Julia true?! Which girl is better?! Is there any truth that you and Lee from White Tiger X are dating?"

Tala felt his mouth drop open and he stared dumbly out at the crowd. Okay. Not what he had been expecting. He thought he'd be answering questions about why he let Kai back on, how they lost, and maybe one question about where Ian was. Not this. The people mentioned in the questions were violently protesting those questions.

But what happened next made them all shut up.

"Tala Ivanov! You're cheating on me?!" Kai friggin Hiwatari, Ice Prince, Stick-Up-My-Ass Blue-haired Bastard, stood up angrily from his seat and strode down the table to lift up Tala by the collar. "You devil-haired bastard! I thought you loved me!"

Tala was gapping like a fish at this moment and was dimly aware of the cameras flashing in the background. But all he could focus on were red eyes.

"After everything I said to you, everything I did for you and you repay me by cheating on me?! I can't believe you!" Kai dropped him and Tala just stood there blinking. But then when Kai looked back up, he was grinning wickedly. "I guess I can forgive you. After all, the bed gets cold at night."

"What?!" He exploded with a blush. Kai called out, "Before." And then added. "And I was let back on because I'm a good blader!"

Laughter erupted from the Blitzkrieg Boys as they watched their captain try to grasp any form of reality.

"I think that'll be the end of the conference…" Mr. Dickenson muttered over the microphone before glancing at the bladers with a smile. Well, the only ones who weren't laughing were Tala, still gaping and looking lost, and a smug Kai, smirking before flipping off the media and leaving the room.

* * *

(End Flashback)

"I should have known that nothing with you was going to be easy." Tala grinned and looked across from him before dropping his eyes. "And that first date, you were amazing."

* * *

(Flashback)

"You'll just have to wait and see Red." Kai grinned that same wicked grin that always sent chills down his spine before stopping in front of the most expensive restaurant in the city. Tala felt his mouth fall open.

Kai had leaded them inside. And they had a special secluded area all to themselves. It had been, lack of a better phrase, magical. Kai, who did not have a romantic bone in his body, had been the best date that he'd ever been on.

Tala had still been reeling from the overwhelming night when he'd realized that Kai was kissing him. Not demanding anything, but just offering a sweet kiss. And when he pulled away to whisper good night in Tala's ear, he'd left a trail of blue paint across Tala's cheek. Which the Blitzkrieg boys had teased him mercilessly about.

* * *

(End Flashback)

"Just so you know, they teased me for two straight hours. Two! And I called Ray later to tell him everything. Bet you didn't know that he was dating Bryan at the time did you?" More silence was filled with a weak chuckle when he remembered some of the comments Kai had said after the press conference. "Maybe you did."

Tala relit a few candles when the wind blew them out and fiddled with the gold band around his finger. He grinned when he remembered Kai's proposal.

"You always had to make a show of everything didn't you?"

* * *

(Flashback)

"Kai? Where've you been? I haven't seen you in two days…" He trailed off warily as two-toned hair was brushed aside and he met serious crimson eyes.

"Tala. I've done some thinking over the past few days…And I'm not sure that we should stay like this forever." Tala felt his heart stop and stomach drop.

"What…What are you saying, Kai?" He held up his hands as if to protect himself.

"Tala. I'm not sure…No, I know. I don't want to just stay boyfriends forever." Kai stood so he could evenly meet Tala's eyes. The redhead could only nod and not comprehend. "I think you understand."

"I…I think I do." He swallowed thickly. "I'm just gonna go."

"Wait!" Was that a frantic note in Kai's voice? "You can't leave yet. Not until we get something settled." Kai pulled a box out of his pocket and Tala stared at it with mixed curiosity and apprehension.

"What, Kai? Aren't you breaking up with me?" Kai grinned that smile that always sent chills up his spine and vividly recall the last time he'd seen that smirk. He blushed as the image came and went and glared at the knowing gleam in Kai's eyes.

"What gave you that idea?" Kai dropped to a knee and opened the box. "I never said break up. I said I didn't want to stay like this. I want you to marry me."

Tala couldn't remember even now what language the stream of curses that left his mouth was in but everyone claimed that they were ashamed that he even knew how to curse in Latin. Kai had only laughed and snottily asked if he was going to or not.

"So, Tala, want to be Mrs. Hiwatari?" Tala went to slap Kai on the head but missed and lost his balance, and Kai just tipped him enough so he fell into the fountain. "Oh, Tala, if you wanted to seduce me into a swim all you had to do was ask."

Kai had held out his hand to pull him out but Tala just pulled him in. The blue paint was washed away and stained Kai's scarf light blue. Somewhere nearby, bladers had lit sparklers and were partying, drawing all eyes on them and the teens in the fountain. Tala climbed out looking like a drowned rat but Kai had only called him beautiful and proceeded to violate the public decency laws.

They spent one hour of their romantic night sitting, dripping wet, in a jail cell. The bladers who had witnessed it were in the cell next to them, complaining, Tyson mostly, about being scarred for life and never wanting to see that much white skin in their lives.

Their half-naked photos had made the front-page of the local papers. Tala kept one as a memento.

* * *

(End Flashback)

"You scared the hell out of me when you started that and don't deny that you planned that. You're a sadistic bastard. But I guess I can deal with that." Tala began shuffling through his pockets and placed the object of his search down on the ground before him.

"I couldn't find more than this after it all happened. I hope you can forgive me. The rest must have burnt to a crisp." He affectionately spun the attack ring and bit-chip in his palm before settling them securely against the stone before him. "It's not as memorable as our wedding but I hope you can deal."

* * *

(Flashback)

"Fuck you Hiwatari." Tala muttered as he waited for Kai. Kai caught it and grinned wolfishly before saying, "Ah, ah, public decency laws. But I'll let you top tonight."

Tala blushed harder and hid his face in his hands. God, why couldn't Kai be the stoic bastard that he used to be?

* * *

(End Flashback)

"Each night with you just got better and better. I couldn't stop myself from loving you so much. Each anniversary, each argument, each reunion, I fell harder and harder for your stoic ass. I remember our first time like it just happened. I can remember each and every one." Tala relit the candle that extinguished before continuing with a sigh. "I never said but the times I remember most were the times I was under you."

He grinned fondly and bit his lip. "I don't know what made me accept that first date or all the things after but looking back, I guess I always loved you. I couldn't stand up for that kind of embarrassment otherwise."

"Our last anniversary you gave me a diamond wolf necklace. I loved you more than I could imagine right then because you just kept surprising me. I never thought you would get such detail done." He touched the diamond wolf at his throat, fur perfect, ice wings and engraved to say "Wolborg". "I never ever thought you would stop surprising me."

He brushed away the moisture at his eyes before taking a few breaths to calm himself. "But then again, you surprised me each and every day. Our first day married and you nearly burn the apartment down."

* * *

(Flashback)

"Seriously Tala, if it can't go in the over it should say that in bold letters." Kai grinned though. "Do you think I can convince Ray to let me use his stove to make breakfast?"

"No!"

* * *

(End Flashback)

"I cooked every dinner after that. You were hopeless in the kitchen. I think the burn's still on the wall beside the stove when I stopped you from making muffins." Tala smirked and pushed his bangs out of his eyes. "It's been fifteen years since we were married hasn't it? Fifteen years of you causing scenes and embarrassing the hell out of me. Fifteen years of love." He muttered at the end.

"I'm the one this year who bought you something extremely priceless and amazing. So try to hold in your excitement." Tala pulled out a delicate case from his jacket. "It's fifteen years so according to tradition I'm supposed to give you crystal."

He opened the case and drew out a crystal rose. It was completely detailed down to the grooves in the leaves and from the center was a sparking flame and a tiny bird iced red. He held it up before pulling out the crystal vase iced with red and gold flames and carefully set the rose inside. He sat it on the ground before him and let the tears fall.

"I know that you can't see it and I know that you would call me an idiot for spending so much money on something so frivolous but I hope that you can understand. I love you, Kai with every breath I take. They want me to move on and heal but I'm not that stupid. I was never hurt to begin with."

He took a shuddering breath. "How can I move on from my soul mate? That rose means the world to me. I want you to have it. And hopefully, you can feel how much I love you."

He let the candles burn and stood up, leaving the two gifts on the cold stone. He brushed away the snow and brushed his jeans dry. He touched the engraving and traced them lightly with his finger.

"Kai, I love you so much. I hope you're happy there. I'll join you soon." He glanced over his shoulder at the retired bladers standing a few feet behind him. Most were crying and they ones who weren't had strong smiles on their faces to show him how much they loved him. "Do you remember Alexander and Remy? They've grown quite a bit since you've gone. They're passing middle school easy. Top of the class."

He bit his lip to hold back a small cry. "Everyone else is doing really well. No one's split since you last saw them and some even married." He dropped back to his knee to stare at the headstone.

"Kai Hiwatari. 1969 - 2007. Not even Death can contain his Spirit. Like the Phoenix, he is reborn again and again." It had a vivid reproduction of Dranzer across the area below the inscription. Tala let the tears fall and make frozen tracks down his face. "I'm going to come and see you soon, okay Kai? Wait for me, my Phoenix."

He felt a hand on his sleeve and met golden eyes. Ray gently helped him to his feet and wiped away a few tears. "Come on Tala. He wouldn't want you to get sick out here."

He nodded and accepted the heavier coat pressed onto him by the neko-jin. He cleared his throat a few times and then took a firm hold on Ray's hand. "Listen, you guys go ahead inside. I only want to say one more thing, okay? I don't really want an audience…"

Bryan nodded and took his husband's hand and ushered the others inside. Tala watched them go before pulling at the other object deep in his pocket. Kai's prized scarf, his favorite one actually, was wrapped around his throat and the tails danced in the wind. He could still smell Kai. He could still taste Kai. Even after five years without him.

"I'm going to join you before twenty years pass. Don't worry. The boys will already be strong enough. I'll teach them everything about you and about me so they are. Don't worry about them. I'll be an old man when I see you again."

He felt the wind swirl viciously and could smell the smoke from the candles. He turned back and saw them out completely before he glanced back at the house. The lights inside were inviting. He looked back to the grave and realized that the candles were lit. And the rose was gone.

"You won't look like it when you meet me. And you'll always be my beautiful wolf." The wind whispered and he felt hot breath on his neck. His eyes slid closed before he was aware of it and the mouth on his was the same one he'd tasted since he'd fallen in love. "I love you, Tala. For always."

Then the sensation was gone and he opened his eyes frantically. He didn't see any tracks in the snow but his and Ray's and he knew that Kai was five years dead but that didn't stop his beating heart. He looked back at the grave and let out a sob. In the vase was a single white rose with a crimson red center, with a note scrawled in black ink, reading, "Until you join me in eternity…I love you, my Tala."

He lifted the rose from its holding and pressed it close to his burning heart.

* * *

(Flashback)

"You better not, Kai. I'd hunt you down and drag your ass back to me if you ever disappeared."

"Aw, love you too, Tal." Kai kissed his cheek but then looked at him seriously. "If I leave, wait for me. I promise I'll come back."

Tala nodded. "And if I go anywhere, wait for me too. Understand? I want to keep you for always."

Kai nodded and pressed their foreheads together, looking deep into crystalline blue eyes with fiery red. "I want to keep you forever."

* * *

(End Flashback)

Kai had died on one of the company's trips. An assassin was caught and sentenced to death for murdering him. Tala's last conversation with Kai was a broken cell phone connection as the phoenix coughed up blood and was rushed to the emergency room. He'd died before they made it to the hospital. He died before he even finished telling Tala goodbye.

But, Tala reflected as he held the stained rose closer to his chest, maybe Kai hadn't meant to say goodbye. Kai had promised him eternity. Now all they had to do was wait. Then they'd spend eternity together.

"I miss you lover. Happy Anniversary, Phoenix." He kissed the rose gently and returned to the home. A single candle was burning, inextinguishable behind him, throwing a faint light on the transparent figure beside the grave, holding the crystal rose and watching his lover leave.

"Happy Anniversary, Lover." He whispered before the walking into the snow, his scarf waving like a banner behind him.

* * *

For the ten year modern anniversary, it's diamond jewelry. For the fifteenth traditional anniversary it's crystal. I know Kaidied Young but I had to make it that way for it to be sad...Alexander and Remy are kids they adopted not gave birth to...I love those names...Hope you don't hate me for writing a character death without telling you outright but I said Tragedy...I thought it had a happy ending even if they are seperated by the barrier between life and death.

But I always thought that nothing could stand between them...Kai was a bit OOC bit love changes all!

Ja'Ne! - Steal My Soul


End file.
